3) Explain what climate change is in a short and sweet way: Climate change is mainly caused by our use of fossil fuels. The more carbon, methane included, that we emit into the atmosphere, the denser the heat-trapping blanket around the Earth will get, and the more disrupted systems we will have and leave as our legacy to future generations. We are already experiencing the climate impacts through more intense storms, torrential rains, floods, increasing landslides.

4) Frame climate change as a problem that can be addressed at a collective level through practical steps by an informed, engaged citizenry and present your chosen solutions.

Support non-profits that work for collective system change towards a clean and fair economy.

Ideas for individual climate action:

Eat less meat, especially beef, and more locally produced vegetarian food. Eating all locally grown food for one year could save the GHG equivalent of driving 1,000 miles. Eating a vegetarian meal one day a week could save the equivalent of driving 1,160 miles.

Buy less. Stop using plastic bags and single use plastics.

Make your home more energy-efficient. Start by switching your light bulbs to LED.

LEARN MORE – especially about climate solutions

Project Drawdown – a nonprofit organization and coalition of scholars, scientists, entrepreneurs, and advocates from across the globe that is mapping, measuring, modeling, and communicating about a collective array of substantive solutions to global warming, with the goal of reaching drawdown. www.drawdown.org

Get news about climate change and solutions to your inbox. Sign up to Daily Climate Hot News by Climate Nexus – a strategic communications group dedicated to highlighting the impacts of climate change and clean energy solutions in the United States. www.climatenexus.org